The Path
At a recent exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art I heard a teacher say to her students, “Art is a language which helps us understand the world.”
The next day I was looking at my paintings. There was a path down the middle of one of the landscapes. In Shopping the floor of the store narrowed and disappeared in the distance. In The Wedding the view was from behind the bride and groom. In front of them was a path leading to the altar. Why all these paths?
I thought of The Ethical Culture Society where my father used to preach. “Most religions promise hell or heaven if you’re bad or good,” said my father, “but the truth is there is no after life! Man makes his own hell or heaven right here on earth. There is no God with a long white beard who will solve the problems of the world!” I was seven years old and I sat at the back of the church. In front of me the center aisle led between the pews to a raised platform where my father stood. There were flowers at his feet and over his head letters in gold said, “The Place Where Men Meet To Seek The Highest Is Holy Ground.”
The path to my father was long and difficult. I traveled it many times but I never reached my destination. The teacher in the museum might also have said, “Art is a language which helps us understand ourselves.”
The Path will be auctioned Saturday, April 14, at Art for Life, The Alliance for Living benefit at The Mystic Arts Center in Mystic, CT. For details go to www.Allianceforliving.org
The next day I was looking at my paintings. There was a path down the middle of one of the landscapes. In Shopping the floor of the store narrowed and disappeared in the distance. In The Wedding the view was from behind the bride and groom. In front of them was a path leading to the altar. Why all these paths?
I thought of The Ethical Culture Society where my father used to preach. “Most religions promise hell or heaven if you’re bad or good,” said my father, “but the truth is there is no after life! Man makes his own hell or heaven right here on earth. There is no God with a long white beard who will solve the problems of the world!” I was seven years old and I sat at the back of the church. In front of me the center aisle led between the pews to a raised platform where my father stood. There were flowers at his feet and over his head letters in gold said, “The Place Where Men Meet To Seek The Highest Is Holy Ground.”
The path to my father was long and difficult. I traveled it many times but I never reached my destination. The teacher in the museum might also have said, “Art is a language which helps us understand ourselves.”
The Path will be auctioned Saturday, April 14, at Art for Life, The Alliance for Living benefit at The Mystic Arts Center in Mystic, CT. For details go to www.Allianceforliving.org
posted by David Black at 12:45 PM
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